The reaction was driven by a long-standing football belief: only World Cup winners should handle the trophy. Another viewer posted, “Trump touched the World Cup trophy even though only winners can touch.”
That tradition carries powerful symbolism. The trophy represents the achievement of lifting football’s biggest prize, so even a brief touch by a non-winner can appear to cross an unwritten line. However, the report says ’s formal guidelines do not state that only former champions may handle it.
That distinction is unlikely to calm supporters who see the trophy as something earned rather than displayed for ceremony.
Trump’s involvement went beyond a guest appearance. He was reportedly due to present the trophy after full-time, placing him at the centre of the official ceremony regardless of the online controversy.
Before the final, Trump also spoke about bringing another World Cup to the United States. “Based on the numbers we will be requesting it immediately,” he said. “We have to do this again, and we have to do this again while I am around, hear that, Gianni?”
The comments added a political edge to an already highly scrutinised occasion, while ’s hosting regulations would govern any future attempt.
Attention now turns to the post-match presentation and whether the trophy-touching episode fades into background noise-or becomes the defining image of Trump’s presence at football’s grandest stage.